"He didnae behave very well to you and Alan," said Mr. Stewart;

"but my mind of the man in general is rather otherwise. If he had

taken Alan on board his ship on an agreement, it's my notion he

would have proved a just dealer. How say ye, Rob?"

"No more honest skipper in the trade than Eli," said the clerk. "I

would lippen to {5} Eli's word--ay, if it was the Chevalier, or

Appin himsel'," he added.

"And it was him that brought the doctor, wasnae't?" asked the

master.

"He was the very man," said the clerk.

"And I think he took the doctor back?" says Stewart.

"Ay, with his sporran full!" cried Robin. "And Eli kent of that!"

{6}

"Well, it seems it's hard to ken folk rightly," said I.

"That was just what I forgot when ye came in, Mr. Balfour!" says

the Writer.

CHAPTER III--I GO TO PILRIG

The next morning, I was no sooner awake in my new lodging than I

was up and into my new clothes; and no sooner the breakfast

swallowed, than I was forth on my adventurers. Alan, I could hope,

was fended for; James was like to be a more difficult affair, and I

could not but think that enterprise might cost me dear, even as

everybody said to whom I had opened my opinion. It seemed I was

come to the top of the mountain only to cast myself down; that I

had clambered up, through so many and hard trials, to be rich, to

be recognised, to wear city clothes and a sword to my side, all to

commit mere suicide at the last end of it, and the worst kind of

suicide, besides, which is to get hanged at the King's charges.

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